Ignition system



E. W. KEIL IGNITION SYSTEM May 3, 1932.

Filed Sept. l0, 1930 l w T @N kw NAW hw MN NN.

mona-S595 Jw Patented May 3, 1932 Y ELMER W. KEIL, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN IGNITION SYSTEM Application led September 10, 1930. Serial No. 480,977.

My invention relates to an ignition system more especially intended foruse with what are known as gas-electric internal combus- Ytionengines Yin which each cylinder is usually provided with four spark plugs.

Y The object of my invention is to provide an ignition system wherein perfect synchronizationY of the sparks at all spark plugs of each 1d. cylinderof the engine to be iired is accomplished; While at the Sametime a system is provided which eliminates the use of highl tension voltage in the distributing mechanism and 1ts conductors and as a result overcomes .the high tension'voltage leakageheretofore encountered.y Y

Furthermore, as a result of the use of my improvedsystem, sparking at the contacts of the distributing mechanism or `brush is 1- also eliminated. Y

The A'objects and advantages of my inven- Y tion will be readily comprehended from the following detaileddescription of the accompanying drawing wherein- The figure is a schematicA illustration of the system as applied to a multi-cylinder engine ;thev well known means vfor operating certain l,of the elements not being shown.

Y My improved ignition system is especially d intendedfor gas-electric internal combustion engines which are usually provided with a multiple of `cylinders, as for example from six to eight or more.

For. purposes of exempliflcation, I have Y chosen to illustrate an engine having six cylinders which are generally indicated at 10, 10, 10?, 10', 10d, and 10"; while the head or blockof each cylinder'is shown provided withfour sparkplugs which are indicated at 11 arranged in the usual conventional man- -ries throughV a distributing mechanism indicated at 14, with a primary circuit interrupter mechanism indicated at 15, and a suitable batteryindicated at 16.

With this arrangement a complete series circuit is provided when the distributing mechanism brush 17, is on one of the contact points 18 and the interrupter mechanism 15, is in closed position. y

The secondary circuit of the high tension coils 12, may consist of two or more coils 19, connected in series with four or more spark plugs 11, of` the respective cylinders of the internal combustion engine.

Where two coils are used for eachcylinder on a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine with four spark plugs in a cylinder, both ends of the secondary winding 19, of cach coil 12 are to be connected in series with the insulated electrode of two of the four spark plugs 11, in that cylinder, either ,with or'without an intensifier in the series and for that reason I have not shown an intensifier.

yThe distributing mechanism is shown in the nature of an annular member or ring 20, which is provided with a number of contact points 18, in keepingvwith the number of cylinders, and spaced apart equi-distances as indicated.

Each contact point 18 of the distributing mechanism 14, is connected with the primary of a coil 12. Y

The other pole of the battery 16, is con# nected by Wire 40 with the primary circuit interrupter mechanism 15, which is connected by wire 41, with the brush 17, ofthe distributing mechanism.

The line 40, leading from battery 16, to the interrupter mechanism 15, is shown provided with a suitable switch at 42; and I prefer to provide the line 24, with a suitable lamp or bulb as at 43. The bulb 43, is preferably of a capacity equal to the coils 12 on the engine, so that when the current flow is greater than the capacity of the respective coils, the lamp or bulb 43, will light and give indication to the operator of some improper condition; the lamp or bulb 43, controlling the voltage on the circuit.

It will be understood, of course, that the brush or distributor arm 17, is rotated by suitable gears from the shaft (not shown) which is intended to be operated by the engine and whichfshaft, by suitable means, operates the cam-shaft 44, of they interrupter rmechanism 15.

The interrupter mechanismr 15, comprises av suitable contact point 45, adapted to be engaged by the arm or lever 46, arranged in the circuit, and adapted to be controlled by a' suitable cam 47, mounted onI cam-shaft 44.

When brush 17 comes in contact with a contact point 18, lever orarm46 ofl interrupter` isclosed; that is to say, thev cam 47 isV of' such construction and so timed relative `to the Vspeed of brush 17 that the lever 46 will be out of contact with p0int45 before `brush 17V leaves a Contact 18 and lever 46 will remain out'of contact with point 45vu'ntil brush 17l comes into contact with the next contact point 18. The 'cam 47, as shown inthe drawing, is of elongated construction with the two opposite ends Ymade arcuate and with two elongated Hatisides. Asstated,rthe cam-shaft 44 y is drivenby suitable gearingfrom the engine and the distributor arm 17 driven'from the cam-shaft 44fwith Vthe ydriving mechanism so timed that when' the distributor arm 17 comes in contact witha contact point 18, lever 46 ,comesin contact with point 45 and cam 47 causes lever 46 to break contact with 'point 45 in"advance of movement of distributor arm 17 out of contact with the contact point 18.v

' shown withithe brushf17, at a point-` intermary circuit and the interrupterpmechanismY 15 are intended to ybe so arranged or operatedl mediate oithe contact points `ot the distributing mechanism 14.

. The dis ributing mechanism 14, lof the prithatvthe brushv17, of thedistributing mechanism is in contactjwith a. contact point of one of the primary circuitso a coil `12 of they cylinderto beufired whilethe llever orarm 46 of the rii'ite'rruiite'r mechanism'15 is in contact with contacty point 45 ofV the interrupter mechanismg'thecam 47 of the interrupter mechanism 15 being timed through suitable gears connected to the internal combustion engine. The interruption in the primary circuit produced by cam 47, moving leveror arm 46, out of contact with point 45,l induces a high. tension voltage in the secondary circuit which causes a synchronizedspark at all spark plugs 11 in thecylinder to be iired.

While the distributing mechanism brush 17 Ais Vmovingfrom one contact point tothe next the distributing mechanism 14, the

interrupter lever or arm 46 is held in the open position shown by cam 47, with the result that sparking at the contact points of the distributing mechanism is prevented. In other words, no current Will flow to the distributing mechanism 14 While the brush 17 thereof is moving to the next contact point; the cam 47, and the distributing mechanismbeing so formed and correlatedthat the' interrupter mechanism will remain closed while the brush Y.17 isv in contact with a Contact point 18 of the distributing mechanism; the circuit, however, rbe i1ng immediately opened or interrupted as the brush 17 is about to leave a contact point of thev distributing mechanism.

With my improved ignition system, low

tension wire maybe used, thusaviding the use of high tension wire. Furthermore, with my improved system, yperfect'syn'chronization of the vspark at all spark 'plugsr` in thecylinder being fired is accom lished; -hightension voltage V in the distri u ting mechanism and its conductors is eliminatedandas a re,-

sult hightension voltage, leakage fis prevented; while at" the sameti'mesparkingatxthe,

contact oints 'of the distributing mechanism and its' brushfare `also eliminated, because when-'the brush 'enters engagement with a contactpoint the' breaker or interrupter isclose'd and'l remains'so until the brush is about to leave thecontactmpoint." .Y

yI have' schexnatically4 illustrated my 'im-,

proved ignition'circu'it as appliedto ,a multi-l cylinder internal combustion engine employ# ing ourspark plugs 'to each cylinder and have described `the same' inV terms kemployed merely as terms .of-description and'not as v terms of limitation, as modifications areipossible and may be made without, however, de

parting rg the Spirit Oilily inventiOIll.,

" What'claim's:

nation Witha source ofele'ctric energy and a multi-cylinderv internal combustion-'engine prvdce'dwth four-Spark plugs, t0 each Cylinder, a pair' ofv high'tension. coilsfor .each cylinder with thesecondariesof each coilcon'-v nected to ak pair of spark'pplugsofwthe same cylinder while the: primaries of Y saidk pair, of

coils are.V yarranged f in series, distributing;y mechanism `provided withtcontactgpoints arranged at predetrmrledstances apart-and'- Correspondinginnumb'efman@number@ cylinders and 'a traveling brush adapted ft successively Iengage with the Contact points,

an electrical connection betweenthe' pri-v mari-es of said pair of colls'and-a contactvv point of the distributing linechf'anismV fand'between said primariesandthe source of elec-fV tric energy, and interrupter mechanism elec-i trically connected between the sourceof elec-l v tric energy, and 'the` brush, said interrupter mechanism involvingV a rotat,ableI elongated cam operatively connected" l'with said; brush,

with they distance YIl ietween the Contact gpointer,

of the distributer mechanism and the speed of rotation of the cam so correlated that the @am will open the circuit in advance of movement 0f the brush out of Contact with a contact point and the circuit held open until the brush Comes into Contact with the next succeeding Contact point of the distrbuter mechansm.

ELMER W. KEIL. 

